February 7, 2009 was one of the darkest days in Bendigo's history.
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One man died and more than 60 homes were lost in the Black Saturday bushfires.
Across the state, 173 people died and communities continue to recover after towns, homes and land was reduced to blackened ashes.
Our gallery takes a look back at Black Saturday and the days that followed as the city fought the destructive fire.
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FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Temperatures soar to 45 degrees as indicated by the Bendigo Bank digital temp guage. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Firefighters work to douse a Quarry Hill house fire. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Firefighters work to douse a Quarry Hill house fire. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Firefighters work to douse a Quarry Hill house fire. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Firefighters work to douse a Quarry Hill house fire. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009 Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire threatens a home in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Fire engulfs Graham O'Brien's property in Stray Steet but miraculously bypasses his home. Pictures: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The fire front in Inglis Road, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The aftermath of a fire engulfed property in Sparrowhawk Road. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A house in Upper California Gully Road is engulfed by flames in the darkness. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Allstone Quarries, Eaglehawk glows in the darkness. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The devestating aftermath of the fire trail at St Justs Point, Long Gully. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The aftermath of a fire-engulfed property in Sparrowhawk Road. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The aftermath of a fire-engulfed property in Sparrowhawk Road. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A helicopter scans the area around Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A property is burnt to the ground in Inglis Street, Ironbark. Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Picture: Julie Hough
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Redesdale. Picture: Brendan McCarthy
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Raywood CFA Lieutenant Ian Hanley talks about the devistation across the region. Picture: PETER HYETT
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A Raywood firefighter douses a caravan burnt in the fire in Maiden Gully Road. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A firefighter shows the strain of the long day. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: A firefighter shows the strain of the long day. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: The fire at Happy Valley Road claims another house. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Residents of Dare Street fight in vain to stop the fire. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 7, 2009: Residents of Dare Street fight in vain to stop the fire. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: This aerial photograph shows the scale of the fire one day after Black Saturday. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: One of the homes destroyed by the fire in Happy Valley Road. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: One of the homes destroyed by the fire in Happy Valley Road. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: One of the homes destroyed by the fire in Happy Valley Road. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: People gather for a meeting at Eaglehawk Town Hall. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: Incident controller Ron Shinner and Bendigo mayor Kevin Gibbins at a meeting at Eaglehawk Town Hall. Picture: Laura Makepeace
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: MP Jacinta Allan talks with Jim Hickson from the CFA at one of the houses lost in Happy Valley Road. Picture: Peter Hyett
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Red Cross volunteers Ros and Wendy helped register people arriving at the relief centre in Eaglehawk. Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Ian Semmens seen here assisting in firefighting duties at Eaglehawk has been a CFA member for over 60 years. Picture: Nick McGrath
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: CFA members form Sedgwick checking on a smouldering house in Eaglehawk. Firefighters were warning people to avoid fire ravaged areas due to unstable buildings collapsing and possible exposed mine holes. Picture: Nick McGrath
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen
FEBRUARY 9, 2009: Picture: Alex Ellinghausen